Deconstructing Bridges

Chapter Twenty-Eight

There were several new expressions that Matthew had learned from his Rose since their first ugly confrontation. This wild and dangerously steely stare had been presented to him twice before. The first time, she had successfully kicked him in the stomach, leaving him a writhing mess on the floor. The second time the hardened look had appeared was shortly after she had shoved Wallace's corpse off herself before leading him on a chase which he had been lucky to win. When she was backed into a corner she went straight into the attack and right now, she was desperate. He instinctively moved to grab her close. As he moved to reach out, Rose unexpectedly grasped his wrist with fingers stronger than they appeared, and with one firm yank he was behind her. She didn't waste a moment and pushed off her back foot with all her might. Matthew regained his footing quickly, but she had already darted around first Lucian, then Hayley who tried to grab her elbow but barely brushed her skin. What Rose hadn't accounted for was Eddie, who had wisely maintained his stance just outside the door and out of sight. As she sprinted through the opening, his arm hooked firmly around her waist and she twisted, attempting to free herself from his grasp as they fell to the ground. Eddie managed to roll on his shoulder before falling, protecting her from the impact of the hard wooden floor and before she could try to escape once more, Hayley and Lucian were standing over her, their weapons pointed squarely at her chest. Eddie nodded towards Matthew who had regained his stance and now stood in the doorway, his anger palpable as Rose helplessly raised her palms in the air in defeat. Her anguish was painted across her face as she noted just how difficult it would be to escape, no matter how close she had come.

"What were you thinking?" Matthew shouted, horrified as he bent forward to grasp her shoulders, pulling her weight from Eddie who also didn't let go of her. His face was centimetres from hers and she flinched at the force in his tone. 

"Facing Marshall on your own? Did you not realise how idiotic that is? He's a psycho!"

She was silent as she stared at him, her face red as she tried to contain whatever was swirling inside of her. 

"You should have trusted me! You should have come back!"

"I'm so-."

"Don't you dare say that you're sorry." He shook her again.

"Things are different now! Don't you get it? You can't keep fighting me, and you can't just keep running! Why couldn't you come back to me, why couldn't you believe in me enough to let me look after you?" He was furious, and he didn't care about trying to hide it. He grabbed her wrists and yanked her to her feet before shaking her, the others still not relaxing their stances.

"I do believe in you," she whimpered earnestly. She struggled weakly against Matthew's grip but he only tightened his hold as he stared at her. He could see her fear, her regret, and even her hunger as her eyes greedily drank in the sight of him. 

"And you still wanted to do it yourself, right? You just couldn't help yourself?"

"He killed them, Matt. I needed to know the whole story. I wasn't going to get another chance. I needed to talk to him."

"You were walking into his trap! Don't you see? The same man that has caused you so much pain, and you were giving yourself over to him. What were you going to do? Kill him?"

She didn't flinch or look away. Instead she straightened her shoulders as she faced him bleakly, her eyes reproachful. 

"You told me I was remarkable for not wanting revenge on the man who caused me such anguish, you said it was a marker of just how compassionate a person I am. Perhaps I'm not as compassionate a person as you thought. " A grim expression took hold of her. Matthew heaved a breath inwards, intent on responding, but Eddie interrupted by placing a hand on Matthew's forearm with a pointed look at him.